Friday, January 24
    News Junkie Paradise – Whatfinger News - More news daily than any other news site on Earth - CLICK HERE

    Louisiana Lawmakers Pass Bill for New Congressional Map, Creating Second Majority-Black District

    JimBy Updated: Whatfinger News 6 Mins Read

    Whether justified or not, Democrats nearly always seem to win all battles in this sphere.

    Louisiana’s State House lawmakers achieved a significant milestone on Friday by passing a bill that aims to create a new congressional map featuring a second majority-black district, in compliance with a court order. The legislation is now awaiting approval on the desk of Republican Governor Jeff Landry. ‘Louisiana lawmakers approved a new voting map that would give the state a second congressional district with a majority of Black voters. A federal court had found that the existing map appeared to illegally undercut Black voters’ power,’ said the New York Times

    It’s about time that Louisiana drew a second majority-Black district in the state, considering that the population is nearly a third Black. The fact that only one district was majority-Black until now raises some serious questions about potential racial gerrymandering and efforts to limit Black political power. – Joe

    Governor Landry expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the special session, emphasizing that the people of Louisiana have regained control over the process of drawing their congressional maps. He remarked, “We have finally taken the pen out of the hand of a federal judge and placed it back in the hands of the people of this state.”

    The impetus for this redrawing effort stemmed from a 2022 ruling by U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, an appointee of President Barack Obama. Judge Dick determined that the existing map violated the Voting Rights Act and instructed the legislature to revise it. Faced with this directive, state lawmakers initiated the redrawing process this week, following a year of appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision not to intervene.

    Last week, legislators presented three proposals for the second majority-black district, with the proposal from State Senator Glen Womack gaining the most favor. Womack’s map delineates a narrow backslash through the center of the state along the Red River, connecting Shreveport to Baton Rouge.

    In the proposed map, the 2nd District, currently represented by Democrat Rep. Troy Carter, will see a reduction in the black voting age to 51 percent. Meanwhile, the new 6th District will have a black voting age of 53 percent. Womack assured that this adjustment aims to safeguard the districts for Louisiana’s Republican U.S. Representatives Steve Scalise, Julia Letlow, and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

    However, there is a potential shift in political dynamics, as the new map might lead to Louisiana sending a second Democrat to the U.S. Congress if Republican Rep. Garrett Graves loses his Baton Rouge seat.

    The legal backdrop of this redrawing effort dates back to 2022 when Louisiana officials were sued over a congressional map approved by the Republican-controlled state legislature. The plaintiffs argued that the map diluted their voting power and violated the Voting Rights Act. Ashley Shelton, executive director of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, expressed excitement over the court’s decision, emphasizing the significance of realizing the second minority district.

    The obligation for Louisiana lawmakers to revise the congressional map arose following Judge Dick’s 2022 ruling. Governor Landry, after taking office last October, promptly called for a special legislative session to address the issue. A federal appeals court set a mid-January deadline for the state legislature to create a new congressional map.

    The legislature in 2022 overrode the veto of then-Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards to implement a map with a single majority-black district. The map prompted legal scrutiny and an appeals court eventually rejected it in November, according to The Hill.The new district lines alter the state’s 6th Congressional District to make the majority black, the outlet reported Friday. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Garret Graves, who will likely face a rough reelection campaign due to the district’s constituency shift. – Just The News

    This recent development is part of a protracted legal dispute that began with a lower court ruling in June, invalidating Louisiana’s six-district congressional map and mandating the addition of a second majority-black district. Governor Landry, then the state’s attorney general, swiftly appealed, claiming the judge had erred. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 allowed the case to proceed to the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

    The broader context of redrawing electoral districts in the United States every ten years based on population changes, as determined by the national census, is pertinent. This process often leads to accusations of gerrymandering for partisan advantage. Democrats have accused Republicans of using their legislative majority to weaken the influence of minority voters, while Republicans argue against the significance of race in redistricting. The ongoing legal battles in Louisiana underscore the complexities and controversies inherent in the redistricting process.

    Major Points Discussed:

    • Louisiana’s State House lawmakers passed a bill creating a new congressional map with a second majority-black district, in response to a court order.
    • The legislation awaits approval from Republican Governor Jeff Landry, who emphasized the return of control to the people in drawing congressional maps.
    • The redrawing initiative follows a 2022 ruling by U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, declaring the previous map in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
    • State Senator Glen Womack’s proposal for the new map gained favor, featuring a narrow backslash from Shreveport to Baton Rouge.
    • The legal backdrop involves a longstanding dispute, including a lower court’s 2022 ruling invalidating Louisiana’s six-district congressional map and ordering the addition of a second majority-black district.

    Comments – Threads – Links

    • Louisiana lawmakers approve a new congressional map with a second majority-Black district A federal court ruled in 2022 that Louisiana’s Republican-controlled Legislature had illegally disenfranchised Black voters w/ their previous redistricting plan – NBC News
    • With the state being 32% minority, by creating a second minority district will dilute the minority vote. So now approximately 16% of the minority population in each district, making a minority elected candidate harder to achieve – B Butler
    • I suspect 99% of the people in Louisiana are all American Citizens. Grouping, labeling, dividing people by skin tone is pitiful, shameful, disrespectful and anti-American. It’s 2024… all U.S. citizens are equal U.S. citizens (and did you know: Women can even vote now!) – dawn
    • The map should have been voted on by the people, not politicians trying to fill an agenda. – David Richard
    • The republican speaker of the house, Mike Johnson said Louisiana should just ignore the order to redraw the district. – Erma Scott
    • Doesn’t matter all the blacks are voting for Trump – Ds stock 

    Biden and crew are doing everything possible to take the nation down. Nations and banks around the world are buying Gold fast and at record amounts.  Do yourself or your family a favor, check out GOLD now – Whatfinger endorses Goldco, which has helped people all over America to protect their 401Ks and retirement – get the free details –  CLICK HERE or below…

    News Junkies Delight…. One visit and you are hooked….  Come over to Whatfinger’s main page. All news and more news than any other site on the net. 

    Keep Reading

    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply